While IS is great and I'm reluctant to even consider lenses over 70 mm without it, the 24-70 falls under this range. If you can effectively hand-hold a lens at a shutter speed equivalent to the focal distance, 1/60th of a second ain't that bad, and you really need at least that just to stop motion, with or without IS.

I've said this before. Although bulkier and heavier, I appreciate the hood setup on the old 24-70 for moving around without a lens cap on. When you bring the barrel back to 70mm there's a lot of protection there. And when the barrel is extended, it's all inside the hood.

Not so with the new lens, where the barrel has no protection at all when extended. If I knock up against something with the old lens, or drag it through the brush, nothing touches the lens itself.

I've said this before. Although bulkier and heavier, I appreciate the hood setup on the old 24-70 for moving around without a lens cap on. When you bring the barrel back to 70mm there's a lot of protection there. And when the barrel is extended, it's all inside the hood.

Not so with the new lens, where the barrel has no protection at all when extended. If I knock up against something with the old lens, or drag it through the brush, nothing touches the lens itself.

Just my preference, I guess.

Yeah, owning the version 1 24-70 the extension never bothered me because I never noticed it with the lens hood attached. It did bulk things up a big, and made for an intimidating lens attached. I *was* able to cram more in my bag when on assignment with the new lens though - which is a plus.

I think one factor to explain the missing IS is that this lens is aimed at landscape photogs who are always shooting on a tripod and turning off IS anyway.

saying this lens was aimed at landscape photographers is a bit of a stretch, no? i'm always looking for the widest, lightest piece of kit to bring with my tripod when i go hiking/camping for days at a time

When can I hope for the next rebate program? Nothing before Xmas? right after?

At least in the European rebate programs Canon in just discounting older and standard lenses and some tele zooms - I wouldn't hope for an official discount on this one for one or even two years to come I'm afraid to say. More likely they'll do a kit with the 5d3 sooner or later, I remember it's been seen in Australia.